The (Ahem) “Misstatements” Of Cindy McCain

If it were Michelle Obama the right wing would be in full attack mode. We’ve already discussed how Cindy is in denial about her two half-sisters. Now the truth is coming out about the myth that Mother Theresa convinced Mrs. McCain to bring home a orphan from Bangladesh in 1991.

The story about Mother Teresa “convincing” Mrs. McCain to bring home two children from an orphanage in Bangladesh has been retold many times. Initially, the “About Cindy McCain” page on the McCain campaign website read: “Mother Teresa convinced Cindy to take two babies in need of medical attention to the United States. One of those babies is now their adopted daughter, 16-year-old Bridget McCain.”

Further investigation shows that at the time this allegedly happened, Mother Theresa wasn’t even in Bangladesh; she was in Mexico.

A McCain source acknowledged that Cindy McCain did not meet Mother Teresa during the 1991 trip to Bangladesh but said McCain did meet her later on, although the source could not say when or where. The campaign has since reworded the reference to the adoption on its website.

In another instance of myth-making, Cindy McCain told the Chicago Tribune earlier this year that she brought a medical team to Hanoi to do neurosurgery, and wound up in “the very same room” where John McCain was treated after being beaten up by a mob.

The room had looked familiar to her because she had seen footage taken by a French photographer at the time. Yet the experience of being there felt surreal. “I’m thinking ‘You’re making this up’ in my head. ‘It can’t be,’ ” she said. “But sure enough, it was.”

But in 1992, the Washington Times had a different version of the story.

“Mrs. McCain asked to see the operating room and her husband’s cell, but was turned down. She took the rejection philosophically. ‘It’s 27 years later. Let’s go on,’ Mrs. McCain said.”

The McCain campaign again declined to comment on the discrepancy.

On background, a source close to Mrs. McCain confirmed that she was denied entry. But, the source added: “At some point thereafter, she toured the hospital and did coincidentally end up in the senator’s room.”

So, uh, well, she did meet mother Theresa, and she did adopt a child. And, uh, well she was in did once wind up in the room, just not as part of the original story. So, it’s kinda, sorta, correct, right?